Regeneration developer ION Property Developments and Wirral Council have appointed builder and contractor John Sisk for the initial site remediation and infrastructure works of a new urban village next to Birkenhead town centre in the UK.
Construction of the first homes at the site is scheduled to commence under the first phase in 2027.
John Sisk has entered into a preconstruction agreement to conduct site investigations and remediation at the former gasworks site.
This will prepare the ground for the project, which received outline planning consent last month.
The approved plans for the Hind Street site include up to 1,600 new homes, a park along the former Dock Branch railway line, and improved amenities for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport.
Wirral Council leader and councillor Paul Stuart said: “Hind Street has been a project on the horizon for a long time, and it’s a street name that has become synonymous with the huge amount of ambition we’ve always had for this development.
“Now that the clearance work has started, the sheer size and scale of this opportunity is obvious to see – it’s a catalyst site that will completely transform the area. It also shows our ability to work with partners to deliver a large and complex development.
“Not only will this create jobs in the short term, but it will also provide much-needed new homes and facilities in the heart of our borough’s largest town, helping us deliver against our growth-focused regeneration programme to boost Wirral’s economy, bring greater prosperity to our borough and make Wirral an even more desirable place to live, work and bring up families.”
The council has secured funding of £52m ($65.8m) from the UK government’s housing and regeneration agency Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for these works, set to begin in late 2025.
In preparation, John Sisk will start vegetation clearance this month, paving the way for the main remediation and infrastructure activities later in the year.
ION will oversee the delivery of these initial works for the council. Subsequently, ION will lead the housing development, with 633 new homes expected on the remediated site.
Last November, the Sisk Sorensen joint venture, incorporating John Sisk & Son and Sorensen Civil Engineering, was confirmed by Limerick City & County Council to construct the Adare Bypass in the Republic of Ireland.
